piedramal @ July 1 2003, 23:39:45 UTC

I don't think Harry would have been seeing a friendly face from the Dursleys whether they were intimidated or not. It seems more like just another way of bringing in elements of OotP to me.

If Harry spends another birthday moping alone in his room, I am breaking kneecaps.

I won't just break kneecaps, I'll run away with them and give them to M.B.

It is interesting that we don't know what happened to big bad Vold's wand, I can't quite make up my mind as too whether the keeping back of that information is deliberate or not.

And Draco wanting to learn to apparate sooner? Well, the H/D shipper in me is wishing madly that it is too see Harry, but my more logical side says that he probably just wants to be able to show off his 'superior' skills.

kalte @ July 2 2003, 00:11:05 UTC

I'm not even thinking H/D shipper at this point; I'm just thinking that Draco has some good tendencies, and that he and Harry are friends on some level. He's a whiny, arrogant, tactless brat, but someone (Seamus, I think?) did say they'd been acting 'chummy.' I honestly don't think Draco is mature enough for H/D and it would be a mistake for him to try, even if his feelings lean that way. No, I just want to see Draco do the nice thing and spend an hour or two using his "superior skills" to do something nice for a friend. Harry went from expecting a calm, happy summer with Sirius and Lupin to getting stuck with the Dursleys, and even more pressure on him as more people start to believe he really does have a chance to defeat the Dark Lord. Harry tends to internalize stress, and he isn't very open in most of his posts and comments; probably he's the same way in email. Face-to-face chats are just worth more, as far as comfort goes.

Probably Draco won't visit, and even if he did we probably wouldn't hear anything about it, but I like to think that if he got the chance he'd visit. I want to see Draco grow up a little, and I can't think of any other friendship that's likely to help him.

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 01:35:06 UTC

If Draco visits, we might not hear much from Harry, but we'd hear allot from Draco. He'd go on and on about how awful Muggles are in general and the Dursleys in particular.

This summer has so much potential for Draco to grow up. He did a little during the school year but the next two months will be very interesting to watch.

Can Draco stick it out when Harry needs him most?

kalte @ July 2 2003, 02:13:08 UTC

Harry usually doesn't say much at all, especially not on his own, and let alone about a visit from someone as volatile as Draco. He's a private person, and I don't blame him.

Draco would definitely talk a lot about Muggles and Potter's terrible living conditions, if he visited openly. Knowing Draco, even if the visit was a secret, he would hint at it. He's a little clumsy about keeping secrets, and he talks so much and so sarcastically that we wouldn't be in the dark for long.

If Draco happens to fail the test and end up having to retake it, I predict the hissyfit of the century. The level of the hissyfit would be interesting to see, though. You'd only expect so much anger over losing some superiority in others' eyes and having to Floo out of the country; a really violent fit would prove to me that Draco hoped to see Harry, which I'm not sure of right now.

Draco seems to be kind of flakey as a friend at this point. He may be getting better, if people have noticed he and Harry seem to be chummy lately, but he is reluctant to admit that he and Harry are friends, or to explicity show he's sorry for the way he treated Harry. Things like that clumsy, stilted conversation about returning Draco's snitch make me think that Draco is not comfortable with people knowing how much time he willingly spends around Harry, even if Ron is wrong about Harry meeting Draco at night.

I wonder how much of Draco's reluctance is related to that whole "My Father is a Death Eater" situation, how much is his pride, and how much is just personal. I also wonder if he's as stiff in private conversations with Harry; I get the impression he's learning to open up a bit, and that whatever has happened between them has more to do with honesty neither of them has had too much experience with than (alas) secret cuddling. I can't see Draco really confiding in anyone, and Harry has a track record of hiding all of his problems from the people who love him, keeping his own counsel whenever possible. Millicent is a great friend for Draco, but their conversations seem so constantly teasing and witty that I doubt they have a lot of earnest heart-to-heart talks, which seem like the sort of thing Harry and Draco would eventually do. They probably have surprisingly similar perspectives about some things, the product of both of them being told who and what they were for years. I just don't know how they'll ever manage to share them. They're both hard people to get through to, and the crush can hurt as easily as it can help.

Anonymous @ July 1 2003, 23:42:45 UTC

Tonks will probably not have a journal of her own. Introducing new characters to an established RPG is very difficult (what with the creating of the journals and the friending and etc.), and Tonks would not really have a role in the game as she is not a student, nor is she related to any of the students at Hogwarts, or a staff member/portrait/ghost/whatever the hell Blaise is. She would be out of place, really, with the game being set in Hogwarts and around Hogwarts students. So I wouldn't count on her having an LJ of her own any time soon, if at all.

Casual mention of new or previously-mentioned HP characters is however not unheard of in NA, so she may turn up again in name-only cameos, along with some other familiar names. You never know!

- Lupin's player, who didn't mean to get anyone's hopes up!

dragynville @ July 1 2003, 23:44:49 UTC

[ot] You about broke my heart with that last full paragraph in Lupin's post. Beautifully written!

kalte @ July 1 2003, 23:59:59 UTC

I didn't mean that I expected Tonks to get a journal; you're right that it wouldn't really fit for her to have one. I'm just bitter, because I wanted to love her, but she ended up neglected in canon. I'm waiting for someone with some talent to develop her so I get the chance.

Someone pointed me towards NA about fifteen minutes after I finished OOtP, and the time it took to catch up was the time I needed to get over the urge to say "But SIRIUS" for hours, so yeah, I love you guys.

ex_meiko437 @ July 2 2003, 11:13:13 UTC

will Luna Lovegood be getting a journal?

Anonymous @ July 2 2003, 15:24:25 UTC

Doubt it.

milenalupin @ July 3 2003, 09:38:37 UTC

Tonks would not really have a role in the game as she is not a student, nor is she related to any of the students at Hogwarts, or a staff member/portrait/ghost/whatever the hell Blaise is.

Canonically, Tonks is the daughter of Andromeda Tonks, née Black, who is a sister to Bellatrix and Narcissa and a cousin to Sirius. She's related to Draco, too, of course.

Of course, that's not supposed to mean that she needs to be used - far from me be it to suggest such a thing.
I can totally understand that all the necessary administration work in the background of a running RPG will be too difficult. I guess it's only worth the time, if the newly added character would be essential to the plot.

I <333 you all, do you know that? :D

portkey @ July 2 2003, 00:07:10 UTC

What must it be like to be Harry? He wakes up from a concussion and several other injuries, only to find out that nope, he can't spend the holiday with his (essentially) parents, and instead has to stay with relatives who hate him.

And it goes both ways, really, so Remus' sadness and Sirius' anger are justifiable, if heart-rending. I think at times like this, it's great that they at least have each other for comfort - they could both certainly use it. And perhaps Harry has the same in Draco now, too, especially once/if he passes his Apparation test.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:18:24 UTC

Just when his life seems to be looking up, it gets worse. Always.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:15:25 UTC

Sirius..! ;_;

[ot] You know, I actually like NA Sirius and Remus better than canon. And that's a very rare thing for me.

eltie @ July 2 2003, 00:27:48 UTC

I don't actually like canon!Sirius. *wibbles away from fangirls/boys/dogs*

Though NA!Sirius is just adorable.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:29:34 UTC

I liked him until JK bastardized him for no apparent reason. xp

Agreed!

eltie @ July 2 2003, 00:37:43 UTC

Who are those people in your icon?

THEY ARE NOT REMUS AND SIRIUS ARE THEY? >:O!!!!!

*fangirls, even if guess is not correct, just because.*

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:41:58 UTC

Yep, that's Sirius and Remus. It's from a doujinshi called Lagrangian Points. (You can download it at my website, just go to the downloads page.) :D

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 00:48:55 UTC

I too am suffering from a serious case of "Icon-Love."

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:57:34 UTC

LP is the prettiest (artwork-wise) HP dj I've yet seen. :D

Anonymous @ July 2 2003, 05:26:55 UTC

JK didn't do anything of the sort! Sirius was lonely and sad, and I don't really blame him being locked up in that house with so many bad memories for him.
I would hate to be someones god parent/relative and have to sit back and just WATCH as they go through some of the hardest times of their lives while some old man says I cannot leave the house. It would be absolutely heartbreaking.
I ADORE canon Sirius, he is the only HP character that I can relate to.

moony @ July 2 2003, 10:50:11 UTC

I wholeheartedly agree. Being stuck somewhere that you hate while everyone around you goes about their lives and gets out of the house while you're just sitting on your ass unable to help really, really sucks. And makes you crabby and reckless.

Trust me on that one.

Not to mention he's a victim of arrested development. He was twenty-three when he was chucked into Azkaban. Gah. Can you imagine? I'd be fucked up, too.

kalte @ July 2 2003, 11:35:42 UTC

Sirius also sees Harry as a brother/friend as much as a son, and he has no reason to try to be an inhumanly perfect, dignified "father figure." Harry doesn't need one and Sirius doesn't need to be one. I think it's wonderful how Harry and Sirius' character development are somewhat parallel in OOtP; they both spend some time in whiny teen-angst mode caused by inability to act. They're Gryffindors, and Gryffindors mostly like to charge into action when anything needs to be done, damn the consequences. It drives them crazy to be told "Just wait." And in the end, they both exhaust their patience and bad things happen because of it. Patience is a virtue, but one Harry hasn't learned yet.

My favorite Sirius moment of all time has got to be Sirius shrieking at the portrait of his mother. "Shut up, you horrible old hag, shut UP!" Brilliant. He gained a lot of depth, beyond "Innocent And Noble Yet Abused And Misunderstood;" he was a little stereotyped without his backstory to help explain him. My Sirius-love knows no bounds. I want to smack Hermione and Dumbledore for criticizing him over Kreacher.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 15:01:19 UTC

Oh, I didn't mean all of it. Just the parts when he'd get all petulant when Harry didn't act just like James. That was a bit weird, and a little too melodramatic.

fourscore @ July 2 2003, 16:24:37 UTC

That part made me angry at Sirius, but I thought it added wonderful depth to a character that I previously thought was flat and dull.

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 00:47:26 UTC

Sirius will be counting those three days down to the milli-second.

I hate to see him (or Remus) like this. They are both so angry, frustrated, and hurt. They want to have time to spoil, fawn, pet, and love Harry like he deserves but the only time they are really free to is when he has to leave them.

They can't stop it either as it is literally a matter of life and death.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 00:56:16 UTC

I know, it's so sad. Here they were, looking forward to the summer when they could finally be a real family together, and Harry has to leave. ;_;

portkey @ July 2 2003, 00:56:18 UTC

I took the word 'pet' entirely the wrong way at first. >:o I blame it on tiredness..

I think the best we can do is hope Harry is able to visit Dogear Wryde for at least part of the holiday. Though I think that once term begins, Sirius and Remus will probably be so happy to see Harry that they'll do said things. I imagine the three of them will spend quite a bit of time (or as much as can be managed) together the first few weeks back at school, so that's something to look forward to, I suppose.

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 01:12:02 UTC

Maybe Dumbledore will allow Harry to return to school when Sirius and Remus do.

I assume Profs have a different return date so they can get ready for classes. Remus did take the train to Hogwarts in PoA, but I don't think that is the general rule.

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 00:34:38 UTC

This Holiday isn't going to be easy for any major party involved and all the owls, journal entries, and whatnot (I'm expecting Remus to send care-packages; he seems the type) can't make up for the fact that a family has been broken up. I think if Remus hasn't cried already (I thinks that's why he told Sirius he wanted to go out on the bike a couple of nights back), he would be now.

I am beyond crushed.

I take little comfort in knowing that the Large Whale is a Large Bully who knows when he's been cornered. I also take little comfort in knowing that Large Bully and family will do anything to look normal. What would the neighbors think if they saw strange people around #4?

I love Draco's concern. Yes, Narcissa, your son what staring but it wasn't for the reason you think. I hope Draco gets a first-hand education on Muggles over the next 8 weeks.

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 01:05:20 UTC

And he'll need those care packages if Dudders is still on his diet. >.<

I too loved it that Draco visited Potter's compartment and wanted to get a look at Potter's Muggles. :D

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 01:23:42 UTC

I too loved it that Draco visited Potter's compartment and wanted to get a look at Potter's Muggles. :D

One last look before being forced to live a Potter-free life until the 18th. I hope the poor dear doesn't suffer with-drawl, but since he's already picking on House-Elves I think it's already set in.

zionsstarfish @ July 2 2003, 01:28:35 UTC

Mother's elf, Dacey, and I got into a bit of a row this morning when I told her to stop punishing herself and then told her to disobey.

I don't know... somehow this bit from Draco tells me that perhaps he's... *gasp!* changing his ways? Maybe he decided to engage in a little self-empowerment and unpack his things by himself :)

dragynville @ July 2 2003, 01:32:26 UTC

I don't know.. it sounded to me like he was taking something out on Dacey. Telling to to disobey after telling her not to punish herself, knowing it'd be the first thing she'd be inclined to do. No wonder she chased him all over the grounds.

babytyggeryss @ July 2 2003, 01:39:47 UTC

I had the same thought.

Draco really did a number on that elf as Narcissa used the glove icon when she asked him to come see her.

dry_your_eyes @ July 2 2003, 15:28:25 UTC

I want to repeat someone's question:
will Luna be getting a journal?!

p.s. <33 Sirius in NA. he's so sweet when angry...

pornography @ July 2 2003, 19:36:53 UTC

Its highly doubtful.

If Draco does visit harry, and writes about it, I look foreward to seeing how he treats them. Should be amusing in the least.

kalte @ July 2 2003, 19:57:54 UTC

Considering the way Harry got in trouble for underage magic use because of Dobby, Draco had better try and hold his temper. Being seventeen might not keep Harry out of trouble, and I'm not sure if Lucius would be an ally in keeping Harry from getting expelled.

dry_your_eyes @ July 2 2003, 23:49:54 UTC Re:

what I'd really like to see - is a whole slytherin-gang visiting Harry. Imagine: Millicent, Draco and Pansy versus Dursleys:)

milenalupin @ July 3 2003, 09:46:20 UTC

oh my god, yesssss!

dry_your_eyes @ July 3 2003, 09:49:06 UTC Re:

^_^
*hopes maybe, only maybe the players read this and...*

milenalupin @ July 3 2003, 09:54:13 UTC

Wah. Am afraid this NA-post is too old for any of them to read it. But it would be soooo cool.

Especially seeing as most of them are already of age and therefore allowed to do magic in their holidays... and if it's Harry's birthday, he will be, too...

Imagine Dudley, clinging with his hands on his backside all the time, pressed into a livingroom corner - or maybe he even hides in the cupboard??

dry_your_eyes @ July 3 2003, 15:00:53 UTC Re:

maybe he even hides in the cupboard??
that's too simple. I'm afraid we can't even imagine Dudley's fate if he faces M.B:)